How to live longer: How going teetotal may be the best choice you’ll ever make

How to live longer: How going teetotal may be the best choice you’ll ever make

Emma Willis breaks down over Matt Willis’ alcoholism

If you’d really like to take care of your health, it may be worthwhile giving up the booze completely, experts suggest. It could result in good health in later life, and more years with loved ones.

The health benefits of going tee-total

Weight loss

Health Advisor for Bupa UK, Jake Williams, warned of the sugar and calories in alcoholic beverages.

“A large glass of wine, for example, has the same amount of calories as an ice cream,” he said. “And a pint of cider has the same as a doughnut.”

Thus, if you say goodbye to your tipple of choice, the possibility of losing weight is very real (as long as you don’t increase your food intake).

A renewed liver

The liver is “the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself” said Mr Williams.

He confirmed that within a few weeks, the liver will begin to repair itself and remove any excess fat.

Better mental health

“Alcohol affects your brain chemistry and increases the risk of feeling anxious or depressed,” explained Mr Williams.

Better physical health

Heavy drinkers are at an increased risk of disease, which can affect the quality and length of your life.

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The cumulative effects of drinking alcohol can take its toll on anybody who chooses to engage in the activity.

As pointed out by Healthline, chronic, heavy drinking is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease.

Moreover, alcohol use (over the years) can cause liver damage, preventing the organ from effectively filtering toxins from the body.

Alcohol consumption can also damage the intestines, which may lead to bouts of diarrhoea or stomach pain, which can very unpleasant.

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In addition, men who tend to abuse alcohol are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, whereas women can encounter fertility issues if they’re of reproductive age.

Moreover, alcohol prevents the body from absorbing vitamins and minerals from the diet, which can lead to malnutrition for both sexes.

The probability of throat cancer, mouth cancer, oesophagus cancer and breast cancer also increases for chronic drinkers.

People who drink frequently are more susceptible to illnesses such as pneumonia, as the immune system struggles to ward off bacteria and viruses.

Drinking too much can also lead to bloating, gas and painful ulcers, thinning bones, and muscle cramps.

Not to mention the dangers of alcohol dependency, reckless decisions and accidents.

Clearly, there are numerous health consequences to drinking on a regular basis.

For those of you who aren’t sure how much drinking is considered chronic drinking, the NHS guidelines can provide a clearer picture.

For instance, the national health body advises people not to drink more than 14 units in one week.

To illustrate, one bottle of wine (ABV 13.5 percent) contains 10 units of alcohol.

A bottle of lager, beer or cider (330ml, ABV five percent) contains 1.7 units.

If you’d like support to cut down on your drinking, please visit Drinkaware.

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